GNCC
ATV Racing
Round 2 - "Maxxis
General" |
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Washington, GA - Rockstar Makita
Suzuki's Chris Borich battled past a deep pack
of contenders to win the Maxxis General GNCC,
round two of the 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross
Country Series. The race demonstrated the depth
of this year's championship field, as well as
Borich's determination to take this year's title.
Yamaha's Taylor Kiser, FRE KTM's Adam McGill,
and Warnert Can-Am's Chris Bithell were in the
hunt for the win, but on the last lap Borich pulled
through.
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FRE/
KTM's #3
Adam McGill grabs the Pro ATV Holeshot
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"It was a really fun race, we were just
battling all day," said Borich. "It
was good to ride with Chris (Bithell) and those
guys, it seemed like we were just on a trail
ride together. It's good to ride with people
you know won't take you out."
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#13
Chris Bithell lead the charge till he
ran out of gas on the final lap of the
race |
Bithell led Borich late in the race, but the
event came down to pit strategy. Borich pitted
for a splash of gas while Bithell failed to
finish the last lap, reportedly running out
of fuel. That opened the door for Kiser, who
started near the back of the pack but charged
hard all day long to net second. Kiser's spirited
run from the back proves his win last weekend
in Florida was no fluke. McGill, who started
the race by grabbing the $250 MotorcycleUSA.com
Holeshot Award, took his second third-place
finish in as many weeks.
GT Thunder Yamaha's Brandon Sommers took fourth,
ahead of ATVRiders.com-backed Yamaha rider Jarrod
McClure.
GT Thunder Yamaha rookie Don Ockerman finished
sixth, Duane "The Rock" Johnson was
seventh, and Yamaha's Johnny Gallagher took
eighth. Ryan Lane and Jeff Pickens rounded out
the top ten.
Defending GNCC Champion Bill Ballance, still
struggling just four weeks after having injured
ribs surgically removed, completed four of five
laps to collect 14th in the XC1 Pro class.
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Pro XC1 ATV Podium (left to right)
Taylor Kiser, Chris Borich, Adam McGill |
Pro-Am
XC2 ATV Podium (left to right)
Josh Kirkland, Brian Wolf, Eric Hoyland |
In the XC2 Pro-Am class, Josh Kirkland grabbed
the $100 Rekluse Holeshot Award, but Yamaha's
Brian Wolf pulled through for the win. Kirkland
finished just behind in second, with Eric Hoyland
third. Sixteen-year-old Walker Fowler netted
top amateur honors again with 17th overall and
a win in the College A class.
In the GNCC morning race, FRE KTM's Angel Atwell
matched her win from last weekend's race in
Florida with another in Georgia. Atwell collected
another $100 from GT Thunder for her efforts,
with Kristin Atwell and Traci Cecco in second
and third overall. Bryan Buckhannon, Michael
Swift and Cliff Beasley won the 4x4 Open, Limited
and Lites Classes, respectively, on their Warnert
Can-Ams, and Robert Smith won the U2 Class on
a Kawasaki.
The Maxxis General GNCC continues tomorrow
with bike racing. The Can-Am Grand National
Cross Country Series then moves to Morganton,
North Carolina for the FMF Steele Creek GNCC
on March 21 and 22.
www.gnccracing.com
122 Vista Del Rio Drive,
Morgantown, WV 26508
304-284-008